Maureen Mason-Jamieson
Toronto, Canada

Knitting Design, Articles and Workshops

"My mother taught me how to knit when I was twelve, but for a long time my design interests were concentrated on sewing. I graduated from the Fashion Design and Merchandising course at Ryerson University and ran my own small business sewing for others. I also taught sewing. When my children were born I looked for an activity that was portable -- one that I could pick up in idle moments and drop when "Mommy" was needed. I then took up knitting in earnest. My children are now pretty well grown-up, but I'm still knitting. I currently belong to four knitting guilds: the Downtown Knit Collective, The Knitter's Guild of Toronto, The Knitting Guild of Canada and The Knitting Guild of America. As well, I subscribe to several knitting-related lists on the Internet. I've sold designs to Shelridge Farms in Canada and to the Knitting Basket in Lake Tahoe, California. (in the photo on the left is Maureen in her design "Squares in Motion Cardigan")

I became interested in "domino" or multi-directional knitting when I read two books by Horst Schultz, "Das Neue Stricken" and "Das Neue Stricken Kindermode". I've been using these techniques in my designs ever since. In October 1999, I attended a 3-day workshop with Horst Schultz in Los Angeles which further fueled my interest and inspired my designwork. There are two techniques that make this type of knitting much more comfortable: a chain stitch selvedge for easy pick-up of stitches and weaving in ends as you knit. I try to explain these techniques clearly in both my patterns and in the workshops I teach as they are simple to learn and make all the difference between fun and drudgery. (in the photo on the right is a friend of Maureen's, modeling her "Pacific Pullover")

Lately, I have begun to combine multi-directional knitting with Fair Isle, intarsia and other types of knitting. I've found that there's a movement and an energy to this style of knitting that is interesting to look at and surprisingly simple to achieve."( On the left "Marmelade Sweater", and on the right " Diamond Star Hat Too!")

Maureen's colourful designs are available at her web site Kinver Beach Knit Design.

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